“And G-d created the human being in His image; in the
image of G-d He created him; male and female He created them.” (Bereishit/Genesis
1:27)
Why does Torah jump from the singular “him” to the plural
“them” when describing the first human being? Writes Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum: “This
change from singular to plural indicates the transition from the spiritual
realm, where man and woman were one inseparable being, to the physical realm
where mankind became split into two different genders, each with its own unique
physical and spiritual attributes.”
The Rebbetzin contends that the equal status of man and
woman is clear from the fact that both are manifestations of G-d’s image. G-d
is One, and therefore has no higher or lower image.
“And the L-rd G-d said, ‘It is not good for man to be
alone; I will make a helper to match him.’” (Bereishit 2:18)
A fundamental Torah principle is that man and woman together
complete each other. The Hebrew for “helper to match him” is ezer k’negedo. Ezer
means “helper.” K’negedo has multiple meanings: opposite,
against, facing, contrary to, matching, parallel and in opposition. Writes the
Rebbetzin: “The common denominator of all these expressions is equality. You
can only be an opponent if you are an equal player…The reason woman perfects
man in the game of life is that she is his equal match.”
Dr. Lisa Aiken in her book To Be a Jewish Woman explains
that as long as the first person was self-sufficient and had everything
provided to him/her, s/he was essentially a taker. She writes: “In order to imitate G-d…[he]
would have to be a giver.” The
first person needed someone to whom s/he could give, and likewise, someone from
whom s/he could receive.
“And the L-rd G-d built the rib/side that He had taken
from the man, into a woman, and He brought her unto the man.” (Bereishit
2:22)
It is generally understood that G-d created the first woman
from the first human being’s rib. The Hebrew word used is tzela, which
actually means “side”. Notes the
Rebbetzin: “Her coming into being through man’s side enabled their relationship
to be that of equal partners, walking through life side by side.”
The Hebrew vayiven (and He built) has the same root
as the Hebrew word bina, understanding and comprehension. Dr. Aiken
writes that women are endowed with the bina of people’s emotions and of
relationships. The Midrash (Bereishit Raba 18:1) says that “she was given more
intuition than man.” Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz puts forth that this extra intuition
leads her to curiosity. This curiosity becomes dangerous rather than helpful
when it exceeds boundaries, as when the first woman eats fruit from the
prohibited Tree of Knowledge and persuades the first man to join her. (Bereishit
3:6)
G-d makes changes to woman after this: “To the woman He
said, ‘I shall surely increase your pain and your travail [of childbirth]; in pain you
shall bear children. And to your husband will be your desire/passion, and he
will rule over/dominate you.’” (Bereishit 3:16)
Dr. Aiken explains that G-d introduces ten adaptations: uncomfortable
menstrual cycles; painful first intercourse; difficulty child rearing;
excessive bodily shyness; uncomfortable pregnancy; painful childbirth; monogamy;
sexual longing for husband; difficulty requesting sexual intimacy; desire to stay
home. (Talmud Bavli, Eiruvim 100b)
Writes Dr. Aiken: “In general, the changes heighten women’s awareness of their potentials
for nurturing and how they can be misused…Since [the first woman] was the embodiment
of all female souls that would ever exist, her female descendants would have
the role of correcting the errors that she had made. The changes would help ensure
that women would rectify [the first woman’s] failing.”
After G-d describes the changes to both woman and man, the first
woman, known as Ha-Isha (the woman) receives a name. “And the man named his wife Chava (Eve) because
she was the mother of all life.” (Bereishit/3:20) Chava bears Cain and Hevel
(Abel). At age 130, she gives birth to Shet
(Seth). In the course of her exceedingly long lifetime, Chava has many other
children but these are the only ones named in Torah.
In addition to meaning
“mother of all life,’’ Chava also means “conversation.” Chazal (our Sages) teach
that women were given greater linguistic potentials than men in order to create
connections with people that can nurture and repair the world.
http://www.breslev.co.il/articles/torah_portion/chanas_blessing/without_her__nothing.aspx?id=13986&language=english
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